


Married to the Job

by masaothedog



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Forced Bonding, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-25 17:15:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4969516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masaothedog/pseuds/masaothedog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus Lupin must be bonded to another Hogwarts professor in order to get around Ministry regulations. Albus thinks Snape is his best match. Mostly ignores anything after PoA, takes place during the events.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. chapter 1

Severus found he could never be too pessimistic about the beginning of a new term at Hogwarts. Having had only a few months to recover from working with that idiot Lockhart every day, he dreaded the approach of that coming September. Of course Albus wouldn't tell him just what inept fool he had hired to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts this year. It was a surprise, he would always say, his damned eyes twinkling. He thought it had been bad in the 80s, but of course then, none of those bumbling twits had any dark lords residing in the back of their cranium.

He was truly beginning to worry as the summer drew to a close, but to his (relative) relief, Dumbledore chose Lupin for the position. Of course Severus wasn't looking forward to working with the mongrel, but better the devil you know, he thought. And over the first few weeks of September, Severus found it remarkably easy to ignore his own schoolmate and be ignored in turn. The 1993 autumn term was shaping up to be rather peaceful and uneventful, with only the monthly brewing of wolfsbane to break up the usual routine. Until that day. Two and a half weeks into the term, the headmaster suddenly called a staff meeting one Wednesday afternoon, rudely interrupting the brewing of a delicate potion.

 

Severus settled at a seat in a corner, Minerva on his left. He didn't exactly get along with her, but he respected her. She was the closest thing he had to a friend at Hogwarts, or perhaps anywhere. Most of the other professors filtered in and found seats, but Dumbledore had still not made an appearance.

_Bloody old fool called the damn emergency meeting!_ Severus thought, scowling and thinking about his ruined potion. He heard his colleagues chatting around him, wondering what the meeting could be about. Finally, the headmaster entered the room with a pale, trembling Remus Lupin. He looked even more pathetic than usual in his threadbare robes and all the colour gone from his face. Severus wondered if the man might be about to collapse. Dumbledore cleared his throat. 

'I'm afraid some of the new laws that have allowed Professor Lupin to join us here at Hogwarts have met some opposition at the Ministry,' he said. Lupin's amber eyes swept downward, away from the gazes that fell on him. Severus's teeth clenched. Of course it was too good to be true. A peaceful year at Hogwarts? With a DADA professor who left him the hell alone? No, of course that wouldn't last. Of course Lupin would be sacked and replaced by a possibly evil and most likely incompetent lunatic. Concerned voices filled the air. The headmaster raised one hand to silence them.

'In order to secure his continued position here, I've decided to take a bit of a drastic measure. It will require your... cooperation.' Lupin grimaced. He looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him up. Dumbledore continued. 'The one thing we can do to protect our Professor from unwanted Ministry interference, for the time being, is for him to enter a bond with someone working here at Hogwarts.' Lupin went green. The other professors were shocked, gasping and muttering amongst themselves. Severus just furrowed his brow and looked at Minerva, whose lips had gone into a thin line. He knew the old man was mad, but to suggest such a thing? Over the possibility that the Ministry might try to put him out?

'Isn't this a bit extreme?' Severus hissed. 'Bonding him to someone to save his job after less than a month of working here?' Minerva exhaled sharply.

'He's the best we've had in a long time, Severus. You know that.' She was right.

'But how do you know that will keep the ministry off his back, Headmaster?' Pomona asked. Dumbledore pulled a scroll from his obnoxiously yellow robes and unrolled it.

'This measure allows some lenience for magical creatures bonded to human witches and wizards,' he explained. 'The human partner acts as a sort of guardian for_'

'Well, that's just demeaning, isn't it!' Severus surprised himself with this exclamation. Evidently he surprised everyone in the room. Even Lupin's formally downcast eyes were on him. He started to shrink back into his seat, glaring at those who wouldn't stop looking at him. Of course, his colleagues agreed, but no one had expected him to be the one to say it.

'Be that as it may, Severus,' Dumbledore said, his face tired and sad, 'it is our safest option, I believe. And what with the evidence of the Dark Lord's eventual return, we  _need_ a competent Defence professor at this school.' Severus could have laughed. So the old fool knew he had been hiring incompetents. 

'I'm... sorry, everyone,' Lupin said in a pathetic, trembling voice. Severus rolled his eyes. How like Lupin to apologise, whether it helped the situation or not. Everyone looked adequately sorry for Lupin, too.

'So, what, are you asking for volunteers?' Professor Sinistra asked. 'Not that many of us are as young as Professor Lupin, so, I suppose I could consider_' Dumbledore held up his hand again.

'I've already someone in mind,' he said. 'And I'll speak with that person about this privately. I just wanted everyone on the staff to be aware of what was happening, in case we need to take further measures.'  _Further measures_ , Severus thought. What could be more extreme than what he was already proposing? One of his coworkers was about to have her life disrupted by a bonding in which she had no choice. He shook his head with disgust. He knew whoever Dumbledore chose would not really have a choice in the matter. He could see Lupin certainly didn't. 

The meeting drew to a close, but many of the other professors stayed in the room to discuss the shocking news amongst themselves. Lupin disappeared as quickly as possible. Minerva remained beside Severus, clicking her tongue.

'Unbelievable,' she said. Severus sighed deeply and nodded. He was about to respond with his own disapproval when he noticed the headmaster's approach. His blue eyes fell grimly upon him.

'Severus,' he said flatly. 'Might I have a word? In my office?' He raised a thin, black eyebrow at that. Hadn't there been enough for him to deal with in one day?

'Of course, Albus,' he said, though he remained sceptical as he followed the old wizard out of the room. He thought he heard Minerva gasp behind him, but he couldn't imagine why.

 

Dumbledore hadn't said anything to him as they walked to his office. Clearly this would not be a pleasant meeting. Once they were both seated on either side of the huge desk, Severus was offered a lemon sherbet, which he just sneered at.

'Just tell me,' he barked. 'What is it?' Albus just shook his head and wouldn't meet his eyes.

'Severus,' he started, though his voice trailed off. The potions master felt his anxiety rising. He tried to remember if Albus had ever hesitated so much to tell him something.

'Please, Albus,' he said. Albus scratched his beard and adjusted his aubergine purple hat.

'Now, I don't like to assume about this sort of thing, and you've always been extremely private about yourself, dear boy,' Albus started. Severus gripped the edge of his chair. He didn't like where this was going. 'But I've always sort of suspected that you were, as they say, gay.'

Severus blinked and pulled his head back. Why would that come up?

'I don't see how that's any of your... of anyone's business,' he said, taken aback. But then Albus gave him another heavy look with those tired blue eyes, and it started falling into place for Severus. He felt his stomach drop like a stone.

'Oh no,' he said slowly, shaking his head, glaring at the headmaster, who just sighed and looked at the floor. 'Of all the professors at this school, why the hell would you think to choose  _me_ ?' He had hissed it through clenched teeth. He started to stand stiffly from his chair. 

'Oh, of course. It's just a simple matter of whose freedom is the least valuable, right? I'm already owned by the Dark Lord, might as well bind me to a bloody werewolf, too?' he demanded, his voice wavering in anger. Albus looked up at him, brows drawn together. He shook his head calmly.

'Please, Severus, calm down,' he said softly. 'Your freedom is not less valuable to me, but there just weren't that many choices. When Remus told me that he's only attracted to men, I knew his options were limited.' Severus crossed his arms defensively. Surely he wasn't the _only_ option.

'Limited or not, I'm sure Lupin would prefer any other option to  _me._ The man hates me,' he reasoned. Lupin could marry Hagrid for all he cared. Who else was there? Flitwick? Filch? ...Dumbledore? 

'Remus does not hate you,' Albus insisted. 'In fact, it seems to me the two of you are getting on better than ever.' 

'Because we haven't spoken a word to each other the entire term?' Severus asked. The full moon wasn't until the 30 th that month. 'Oh, that's a promising start.' The headmaster put his hand to his forehead. Severus could see his patience was slipping. 

'You're the only other male professor on staff whose proclivities are_'

'That's still an assumption as far as you're concerned!' Severus argued. Albus wasn't buying it. He raised his thick white brows sceptically.

'So I'm wrong then?' he asked. Severus considered his answer carefully. The obvious consequences of honesty was becoming Lupin's bondmate. Lying would have its consequences, too, and not the least of which was what Albus would think of him when he inevitably found out the truth. He probably had no genuine doubt, anyway.

'You're... not wrong,' he admitted. Albus closed his eyes and nodded.

'Of course I'm not,' he said. 'You're the most believable match, anyway, as far as the Ministry is concerned. The two of you are the same age for one, and you can brew wolfsbane.' Severus slumped in his chair. Albus talked about it as if it was all decided, and Severus supposed it was. It had all happened so quickly. Another aspect of himself now belonged to someone else.

'When is this to happen?' he asked in a dead tone. Albus shook his head.

'Now, now, it's not so bad, is it?' he asked. Severus pulled back his lips in a silent snarl. 'Imagine if you were in Remus's position. I think he was relieved when I told him I thought it should be you. I could see the poor boy felt guilty, but I imagine he would have felt that way no matter who his intended turned out to be.' Severus looked at him.

'Lupin already knows?' he asked. 'That you decided on  _me_ ?' 

'Well, you were the obvious choice,' Albus said. Severus snorted. He was nobody's obvious choice.

'He  _was_ relieved it was you. He really doesn't hate you, Severus.' 

'Whatever!' Severus spat. 'You didn't answer me. When is this happening?' Albus drew a deep breath. Severus would not like his answer.

'I thought this Friday,' he said. Severus stood and turned out toward the stairs, ready to storm out.

'Severus! Please wait. Don't be upset.' His back tensed.

'Don't be upset!?' he said with a bitter laugh. 'Right. Is that all, Albus? Can I  _go_ ?' 

'Yes, of course,' he said softly, 'but I will need to speak with you and Remus together tomorrow about the arrangements.' Severus paused for just a moment and walked out of the office. He didn't want to see or talk to anyone. He just wanted to go back to his dungeons and be alone as he knew he would soon lose that freedom. And what of his dungeon quarters? Most likely he would lose those, too.

'Severus!' Minerva called to him in the corridor. He didn't stop.

 

Once inside his quarters, Severus sat cross-legged in the centre of his large bed, on the deep violet duvet. His duvet which he liked and didn't want to part with. Just two more nights here, he thought. Two more nights to himself. But just being near a bed made him realise another unpleasant truth. He and Lupin would have to consummate their bond. His face grew hot. He didn't like the thought of having sex with someone he had no relationship with, especially when he had no choice about it. They only had to do it once, but he hated that he was losing even that basic control over his own life. That he  _had_ to have sex. His pulse pounded in his ears as he lay down on his side, squeezing his eyes shut in frustration. 

He couldn't be angry with Lupin. His ability to consent had been taken, too. He could be angry at Albus, though. He moved under his duvet, trying not to think about what Lupin would be like in bed.

 

His stomach burned the next morning. As he got dressed in his usual black robes, he feared he might be sick all over the floor. He dreaded going to the Great Hall, wondering who did and didn't know about his predicament. If they didn't, they surely would soon. The loss of privacy was just another perk of this intolerable situation. On his way to breakfast, he thought of yesterday's dream of an uneventful school year and swallowed back bile. 

He took his usual seat beside Minerva. To his relief, no one was staring at him apart from her. Lupin wasn't even at the staff table.

'Severus?' she whispered. He winced.

'What,' he hissed. She shook her head, her expression uncharacteristically helpless.

'It's you, isn't it?' she said. 'The one that Albus w_'

'Yes.'

'He didn't say anything more about it last night. To anyone,' she assured. That much had been obvious. 'Are you... all right?'

'No.'

At that moment, Lupin entered the hall looking like a ghost. His eyes were red, and he was sickly pale.  _Probably horrified at the thought of having me as a bondmate_ , he thought. The wereworlf glanced at him, and he looked away quickly. He finished his tea and got up from the table, hardly having eaten anything. 

 

He didn't have the energy to be particularly nasty to his students that day. Not even to the Gryffindors. Classes passed by quickly, and he felt in a haze. The dreaded appointment with Lupin and Albus was all he could think about. Right after his last class, he waited with his arms cross over his thin chest, right beside the gargoyle that led to Albus's office. To his displeasure, Lupin joined him.

'I'm so sorry, Severus,' he said. Severus wouldn't look at him. He didn't want Lupin's apology. 'I had no idea it would be you.'

'Yes, well. How unfortunate for you,' he said with a sneer.

'That's not what I meant!' Lupin argued, but Severus had no response for him. 'I just... didn't want to ruin your life.'

'Had to be someone,' Severus said. 'And it was Albus's choice, not yours.' Was he  _comforting_ the mongrel?! 

'Maybe not, but you would have been my first choice, and I think he sensed that,' Lupin admitted. Severus finally looked at him, his expression questioning. The statue moved and Minerva stepped out.

'He's ready for you,' she said flatly. Severus took a deep breath and walked up the stairs just in front of his soon-to-be husband. There were two chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, both of them upholstered in offensively bright and not at all complementary floral fabrics. As Severus sat down, he saw some Ministry scrolls on the desk. His stomach turned. They already had their names on them. Severus wanted to get out of there.

'Good afternoon, my dear boys,' Albus said. Severus could have slapped him. Hexing would have been too impersonal. 'We have just a few arrangements to work out before tomorrow's ceremony.'

'A  _ceremony,_ Albus?' Severus asked. 'Is that really necessary?!' 

'I'm afraid so. It would look strange to forego the usual customs. And I must insist that you both dress for the occasion.' Lupin's head bowed, his shaggy, light brown hair falling over his eyes. He pulled his tatty brown cloak tightly around himself. Severus felt annoyed at Albus's insensitivity. He told himself it was simply because he had also been poor once.

'Moving onto other business. There's the matter of your living quarters,' Albus continued. Severus looked at Lupin out of the side of his eyes.

'I wouldn't want to make Severus move. He's been here much longer than me,' Lupin said. Severus sighed in relief, then remembered he'd have to let Lupin live with him.

'Very well. You'll both be living in Severus's quarters then. I trust this is agreeable, Severus?' Albus looked at him. He just shrugged as if it didn't make a difference to him. 'All right, next we need to work out the matter of your names?'

'What about them?' Severus asked, narrowing his eyes.

'Typically when people bond, one of them takes the others' name. Perhaps we can come to a compromise, in this case,' Albus suggested.

'I don't mind taking his name,' Lupin said. Severus's face pinched.  _Remus Snape_ . 

'No,' Severus interjected. 'Absolutely not.' Remus widened his eyes.

'Is there a problem, Severus?' Albus asked. Severus looked at Lupin.

'You would take a  _muggle_ name, given the choice?' Severus asked. Remus blinked in surprise. 'No. I've carried this name with shame. I have no misgivings about discarding it.' Remus didn't respond, but his mouth hung open like a fish's. Severus looked away from him in disgust. 

'So... Mr and Mr Lupin?' Albus asked, reaching for his quill.

' _Professors_ Lupin,' Severus corrected. 

'Very well.' There wasn't much more to talk about after that. They signed scroll after scroll while, much to their embarrassment, Albus reminded them that they were expected to consummate. There was a seal that would not appear on the documentation for their bonding until they did, and its absence would raise suspicions with the Ministry. As Severus signed the scroll that would change his name to Lupin, he began to question his earlier stance. Was having the Werewolf's name really better than having his father's? With a firm stroke of the quill, he decided it was.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Friday morning. Severus, still in his pyjamas, sat on his bed alternating his gaze between the trunk of Lupin's things that had been brought by the house elves and the formal robes he had picked out to wear for the ceremony. Both of them filled him with a sense of dread. He could hardly muster the energy to get ready for classes that day, knowing that scuffed-up trunk and that set of silver-lined lavender robes awaited him upon his return.

 

Severus knew the day was going to be a bad one. He just had not imagined how bad. He had not imagined that Albus would cast sonorous on his voice to make a special announcement in the Great Hall during breakfast. Severus actually felt his breath catch in his throat.  _He wouldn't!_ Severus cast a panicked sidelong glance to Lupin. 

'Now, I am sorry to interrupt your breakfast, students. Lovely breakfast, it is,' Dumbledore said, cheerful as ever. The entire student body were now looking at the staff table. Severus had his teeth clenched, and he vaguely registered Minerva's hand on his arm. 'I must announce a rare event, indeed. It seems that two of our very own professors have found love. Love, which will be ever more important in dark times to come.' Chattering filled the great hall, and some students hushed others.

'Tonight, there will be a wedding!' Albus said, beaming. 'Professors Snape and Lupin will be_' Even with sonorous cast, Albus was interrupted by an uproar. Even other professors were gasping and trying to ask them about it. Severus _hated_ the attention. He wanted to crawl under the table. Looking over to Lupin, he saw that he had his face in his hands. Albus cleared his throat and shouted for attention until the students finally quieted down. 'Professors Snape and Lupin will be entering a bond. I ask that you remember that from tomorrow forward, Professor Snape will be known as Professor Lupin.' For the second day in a row, Severus left breakfast without eating.

 

'Are they _really_ going to bond?' a third year Slytherin whispered to another during Potions class. Severus sighed in exasperation. He thought his Slytherins had more discretion than that. 'Professor Snape didn't look too happy about it.'

'Of course he didn't! I don't believe he'd willingly bond with that disgusting idiot,' Draco said. Severus rolled his eyes. 'He looks like he was homeless before he got here.' He felt annoyed with Malfoy, but he wasn't about to start scolding him or taking house points from Slytherin. Students were gossiping about him enough as is.

'Maybe Professor Snape was just angry that Dumbledore announced it in front of the whole school,' Zabini suggested. 'I'm sure he wouldn't bond with someone he didn't want to. At least not without good reason.' Draco just huffed. He was as bad as his father. Severus looked back to his marking, but he was shortly interrupted.

'Professor Snape, there's no more... Oh, sorry!' Granger said. 'I mean, Professor Lupin. Um... Or should I wait until tomorrow to say that?' The was clearly befuddled. Severus sighed and shook his head.

'We may as well all get used to it. Professor Lupin will be fine,' he said. She smiled and nodded at him with relief.

'Now what is it that you wanted?' he snapped.

 

All of his classes went about the same way. Students whispering about him and not doing a very good job of not letting him hear what they were saying. He wondered if Lupin was experiencing the same thing. At lunch, he saw that the only empty seat was between Minerva and Lupin. He didn't have the energy to say or do anything about it, and he wanted to talk to his intended, anyway.

'Lupin,' he said evenly as he sat down. 'I trust you've been the sole topic of your students' gossip today, as I have?' The other man closed his eyes and nodded.

'The Slytherins are very suspicious of me. They believe I've somehow enchanted you and intend to live off of your fortune. Do you have a fortune, Severus?' he asked with a half-hearted smile.

'Not that I'm aware of,' he answered. He knew Lupin was making an effort to be cordial to him. He stopped himself from responding in his usual manner. An amiable relationship would be to their advantage. Any anger he felt, he would channel to Albus and the ministry. 'They must not realise you make the same salary as me.'

'Mine just hasn't kicked in, yet,' Lupin said, moving food around on his plate with his fork. Severus remembered the moment in Albus's office the day before.

'Are you all right on robes?' he asked quietly. 'I could let you borrow something.' Lupin's eyes widened and a bit of redness spread across his cheeks.

'Um... thank you,' he said. 'But Minerva's lent me something.' Severus snorted.

'It better not be tartan,' he said, turning his head to Minerva. She just smiled at him and adjusted her own tartan neckerchief.

 

Before the ceremony, which, fortunately, only other staff were invited to attend, Severus had to go to Gringotts for the Prince family bonding rings. They were both platinum. One was thick with a leaf pattern standing out against the surface with no stone. The other had the same pattern, but it was thinner and had a light purple gem. He would take the one with the gem, thinking the other would suit Lupin better. He stared at them in their box a moment before putting them in his robes. He never imagined he'd be sharing them with anyone, much less Remus Lupin. As he walked back to the Leaky Cauldron for the floo, he began to prickle with nervousness. The ceremony was soon, and after that, he'd be sharing his life with Lupin.

 

Back in his quarters, he took a shower and put his robes on. He would never wear something like that in any other scenario. He imagined that everyone expected him to wear black, but long ago, before his hopes for his future had dampened, a very young Severus Snape dreamed of wearing lavender and silver robes for his bonding ceremony. Even if the whole thing was a farce, he would do that for himself.

Minerva waited for him in his office. He had asked her to stand with him at the bonding ceremony, and for once, she wasn't wearing tartan.

'Look at you, Severus,' she said, looking him up and down. He scowled.

'Please, Minerva,' he groaned.

'I mean it! You look very nice,' she said. 'How are you holding up?'

'Fine, all things considered,' he said. He hoped she couldn't see that he was shaking. He handed her the box with the bonding rings. She took a look at them before putting them in her own robes.

'I know this situation isn't ideal, but do you think there's any way it could work out for the best?' she asked.

'What are you suggesting?' Severus asked. He kept looking at the doors, anxious about Lupin or Dumbledore's arrival.

'I wasn't suggesting anything, only wondering if there's any possibility of you trying for a proper relationship with Remus,' she said. He snorted.

'As if Lupin would want that,' he said, though he remembered his words outside Albus's office. That Severus would have been his first choice at Hogwarts.

'Suppose he does,' Minerva said. What if he did? Would Severus? Lupin wasn't unattractive, but physical attraction only went so far. For the most part, he stayed out of his way, and that was nice, but there was no foundation for a relationship as far as he could see. The creak of the big doors opening pulled him from his thoughts. Albus, Lupin, and Hagrid walked in. Hagrid, who would stand with Lupin for the ceremony, was already crying. Severus closed his eyes and groaned. He missed Lupin staring at him, cheeks red and eyes wide.

 

Once the other staff began arriving, Severus got into place for the ceremony. He hated how jumpy and shaky he was, and he hated that everyone, including Lupin, was staring at him. Lupin's lips were parted and they trembled with each breath he took. He wore the black dress robes he had got from Minerva. The hall was mostly quiet apart from Hagrid's sniffles. Dumbledore asked them to join hands, and they did, awkwardly. Lupin's hands were warm and surprisingly soft. Somehow, Severus imagined that they would be calloused.

Albus spoke, and they said some vows about honouring each other and the vow. Nothing about loving until death. No promises either of them wouldn't be able to keep. A magical rope appeared around their arms, binding them together. Severus felt a surge of magic, and then the rings appeared on their left hands. Remus didn't take his amber eyes off of him.

'I now pronounce you bonded,' Albus said. 'You may now kiss.' Severus took a deep breath and tried to ignore all of the eyes on him and the half giant's sobbing. The magical ropes had disappeared. Severus put his hands on Lupin's shoulders and lowered his head so that the other man could reach him. He hoped he would meet him halfway, at least, and he did. His eyes closed, and he felt Lupin's scruffy face against his own. His soft lips found his and kissed them lightly, questioningly. Severus kissed back, thinking, of all things, that he shouldn't be rude at a time like this, and Lupin's kiss became more confident. He felt his hands land on his waist and Lupin claimed his lips more fully. It felt good. It felt good enough for Severus to think he could get carried away if he wasn't careful. He was still very conscious of the other staff watching him, and he wanted to pull away, but he waited for Lupin to be done, his heart pounding by the end of it. The staff clapped politely and Severus let out a long breath. He was bonded.

 


	3. chapter 3

Lupin stood uncomfortably in the bedroom of their now shared dungeon quarters. He kept pulling at the edges of his borrowed dress robes as though he wanted to take them off, but then thought better of it. Severus feared he would still be dressed and avoiding eye contact by sunrise.

'Do you want a shower?' Severus suggested, not wanting to take his own robes off while the other man watched.

'Just had one,' he said. 'Right before the ceremony.'

'Right,' Severus said, turning his back. He wasn't going to let this go on all night. He pulled his robes off and hung them in his closet until he was naked. He heard shuffling behind him. When he turned around to get into bed, he saw Lupin pulling his own robes off, his face crimson. Severus slipped under his duvet to wait, his arms crossed. As much as he didn't want Lupin to know it, he was self-conscious about being naked in front of him. His heart began to beat faster as Lupin's robes came off. He was slender, but not skinny like Severus. His body was lightly muscled, and his chest and stomach were covered in light brown hair. Severus bit his lip as he noticed how the hair got thicker lower on Lupin's stomach. When he unbuckled his trousers, Severus felt he should look away, despite the fact that they were now bondmates. He averted his eyes until he felt the mattress shift under Lupin's weight. Lupin lay next to him, stiff as a board. Severus turned his head on the pillow and looked at his new husband expectantly.

'Shall we go ahead, then?' he asked. Though he had expected as much, he felt insulted that Lupin had to be goaded into touching him. He saw Lupin's adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. The other man pushed the duvet down and let his legs fall open, and he reached for Severus. Severus let himself be pulled against Lupin's warm body, shivering at the feeling of skin on skin that he hadn't felt in a very long time. His thin hips fell between Lupin's soft thighs. He gasped when he felt a hard prick pressing against his stomach. Before he could gather his bearings, Lupin was kissing him with his hot, open mouth. He tried to pull away from the wet kisses.

'Wait, Lupin,' he gasped, feeling himself become hard. The feeling of Lupin's tongue licking at his lips sent his blood racing directly to his cock. 'Wait, please.' Lupin reluctantly stopped his delicious kisses.

'What is it, Severus?' he whispered, still actively trying to wrap his body around him. Severus put his hands on either side of him to push himself up, and he rolled back onto the bed to Lupin's side. Lupin looked worried.

'I don't like it that way,' he said. The other man bit his lip.

'I did something wrong?' he asked. Severus rolled his eyes. He didn't want to have to coddle Lupin in bed. He simply rolled onto his stomach and raised his hips off of the bed. That seemed to give Lupin the right idea. His eyes went wide and he nearly choked on his own breath before scrambling to his hands and knees. Severus felt hands on his hips, caressing down to his thighs. He took a deep breath as he felt his arse cheeks being spread and massaged. It had been so long since anyone had touched him there, and though it was only happening because of their arranged bonding, he couldn't help how his body responded. Fingers teased his tight entrance, and he had to bite back a rather unbecoming noise. It wouldn't do to have Lupin hear what he really sounded like in the throes of passion.

'What about lubrication?' Lupin asked. His voice, Severus noticed with satisfaction, had taken on a rougher quality.

'In that drawer, there,' Severus said, indicating the one in the bedside table. Lupin retrieved it and rubbed some of the slippery fluid around Severus's entrance. He carefully pushed in first one finger, then two, stretching the tight hole slowly. He prepared him much more slowly and thoroughly than most men had. By the time Lupin removed his fingers, Severus was panting and writhing, impatient to be properly fucked. He was embarrassed to be so obviously eager, and he kept his face hidden against the pillow.

For a moment, he didn't feel Lupin touching him at all. The room was silent apart from his husband's erratic breathing. He was just about to turn around and see what was keeping Lupin when he felt something big and slick press against his hole. A groan escaped his lips and his cock ached with a sudden increase of blood. He pushed his hips back so that the bulbous head pushed against his entrance, just short of sliding in. Lupin was big, and Severus wanted to feel that thick shaft inside of himself. He groaned again, caring less and less about keeping his dignity.

'Are you ready for me?' Lupin asked breathlessly. He was barely able to restrain himself, and his desperation was evident in his voice. He placed his hands firmly on Severus's hips.

'Yes,' Severus hissed, pressing his hips back again. This time, Lupin's cock pushed forward at the same time and into Severus's body. Despite Lupin's thorough preparations, the stretching burned and ached for a moment. Severus found himself gasping as he adjusted to Lupin's cock. His fists clenched, gripping his sheets. Lupin's hands were shaking on his hips.

'M-move, will you?' Severus said, rocking his hips impatiently. Lupin wrapped his arms around Severus's chest and started thrusting into him in a slow, rolling motion. Severus felt Lupin's scruffy face against his shoulder, and his hot breath was on his neck. Their bodies were pressed together. Severus hadn't expected that kind of physical intimacy for their coupling. He figured Lupin would want to have as little contact with him as possible. The feeling of Lupin's body on him, of his hands moving all over him, began to overwhelm him. This was not how men usually treated him. He couldn't think about it too clearly, though, because each of Lupin's thrusts dragged across his prostate and sent jolts of pleasure to his cock.

'Severus,' Lupin growled against his neck. It made his hairs stand. 'Would you mind turning over?'

'What?' Severus asked. Lupin stopped moving.

'Could we do this face to face?' he asked. The question hung in the air for a few moments. Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had offered his backside under the assumption that Lupin wouldn't want to look at him.

'Fine,' he said, just wanting Lupin to keep fucking him. Lupin withdrew and Severus quickly turned over onto his back and spread his thighs. For the first time, he saw his husband totally naked from the front. His substantial cock stood out from brown curls. Severus couldn't believe _that_ huge thing had been in him. Lupin knelt between his legs and pushed the purple head of his cock back into Severus. Severus gasped, watching Lupin guide it into him. He did it slowly until he was fully inside of him again. Then he lowered himself onto Severus. Once again, he started kissing Severus, and he roamed his hands over his torso. Severus was unsure of what to do with his hands, so he settled them on Lupin's shoulders.

Lupin started his thrusts slowly as before, but this time, he started picking up momentum. Kissing Severus seemed to excite him as his thrusts became more shallow and hurried. Severus was surprised to find how arousing it was just to be held and kissed whilst being taken. Every movement of Lupin's tongue made him buck his hips more eagerly. Severus knew he was making noises now, and he didn't care. He felt too good, and he was too close.

Severus had wrapped his arms around Lupin's neck to hold him in place so Lupin would keep kissing him, but he had other plans. Lupin moved his mouth downward, kissing Severus's neck and collarbone, biting the sensitive skin lightly. His hands moved to Severus's chest, brushing his fingers over his nipples. He moved his lips back to Severus's, and Severus couldn't take it anymore. Pushing his hips up to meet Lupin's increasingly frantic thrusts a few more times, his body tensed and he started coming onto Lupin's and his own stomachs. His body tightened around Lupin's cock, and that did it for him, too. With a growling moan, he spent himself inside of his husband.

 

For a while, they lay still entwined in the dark, panting and coming down from their orgasms. Severus expected Lupin to roll away from him immediately, but he didn't. His scruffy face was once more pressed to Severus's neck, and he held him firmly in his arms. Talking would have broken whatever spell let them lay together like that, contented in their embrace, but after a while, being covered in their own seed became too uncomfortable.

'I need a shower,' Severus said softly, annoyed to find that his voice shook a bit. Strange and inconvenient emotions lingered. He hated that they made him sound vulnerable. Lupin lifted his weight off of him.

'Me too,' he said. They stumbled out of the bed, both trying not to let any of their mess drip onto the bedding. 'How shall we do this?'

'We'll step into the shower and turn on the tap,' Severus said. 'That will make the water come out.' Lupin snorted and followed him into the bathroom.

'I didn't know if you minded showering together,' he said as they got into the shower stall. Severus put on the hot water.

'It's a bit late for modesty, Lupin.' he said, turning to let the shower spray wash the come from his body.

'Severus, you know, it seems silly for you to call me that now. “Lupin”, I mean. If you'll recall, that's _your_ name, too.' Severus tensed. He'd forgotten.

'Fine,' he said. 'Remus, then'.

They spent the rest of their shower in silence, which only grew increasingly uncomfortable. Severus got out as soon as he could, dried off, and put his pyjamas on. He got back into bed and acted like he was asleep when Remus came back into the bedroom. His chest tightened when he felt an arm wrap around his waist.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Remus woke up much earlier than Severus. He felt awkward. The dungeons were supposedly his home now, but he hardly knew the layout. Moreover, he was afraid he might inadvertently anger Severus if he touched or moved the wrong thing. He carefully used the bathroom and went to the small living room to sit down. He might have liked to make tea or have breakfast without going to the great hall, but he just sat there stiffly, looking around at his new home. He wasn't surprised to see shelves lined with potions ingredients and equipment. 

He didn't know what to expect when Severus woke up. The night before had been surprisingly warm and passionate, but he knew that their union had been a one-time necessity to facilitate their bond. That didn't change how hurt he felt when Severus came out of their bedroom fully dressed in neat black robes and barely acknowledged him. He had his usual harsh expression, and he just scowled at Remus before speaking. 

'I'm going to breakfast,' he said and walked to the door. Remus stood up. 

'I'll come, too,' he said quickly. Severus' only response was to scowl at him again. Clearly, he didn't care what Remus did. 

All eyes were on them in the corridors, and Remus felt anxious on Severus' behalf. This marriage was all because of him after all, and that was the reason students now gawked at them. Remus regretted tailing after Severus. The students probably wouldn't react like that to just one of them alone. He tried to keep his distance, but that only irritated Severus more. 

'Will you stop dawdling?' he hissed, his black hair swinging around his face as he turned to look at Remus, indignation in his dark eyes. 'If you're coming with me, try to keep up.' Remus fell into place with Severus, who whispered to him without looking at him again. 

'No one is supposed to know this is a sham. Stop acting like you're afraid of me.' Remus bit his lip and nodded. Now that they were in this situation, he was a little afraid of Severus—or at least afraid of upsetting him. Before, he had always had a certain level of admiration for him. He liked to imagine that they could have been good friends had circumstances been different when they were students. Despite their strangely intimate encounter the night before, Remus felt that the possibility of Severus accepting him as a friend now was less likely than ever. 

He took a seat beside Severus at the staff table in the great hall. Severus surprised him by pouring juice for both Remus and himself. He thought of his husband's words in the corridor just before. Severus intended to act the part of a loving husband in public, he realised. Not wanting to annoy him again, he decided to play along. When Severus put the carafe of juice down, Remus covered his slender hand with his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. He could feel the eyes on their joined hands. If Severus was surprised, he didn't act like it. 

After breakfast, Remus went for a walk around the school, not wanting to be around Severus. Going from private coldness to public affection had been jarring and painful, and he imagined Severus wanted to be left alone, too. As he wandered aimlessly through the corridors, he heard some students talking just around the corner. Their voices echoed, and he heard his own name mentioned. He froze to listen. 

'You could tell because Professor Lupin's eyes were all glassy at breakfast. Snape totally has him dosed with some potion.' 

'But why? Why would he want to marry Professor Lupin enough to drug him? Do you think he's actually gay?' 

'Snape? Yeah, he so is. And this is probably the only way someone as ugly as him could get a man.' Both students lauged at that. Remus' jaw tightened in anger until his teeth hurt. 

'Poor Lupin, though. Can you imagine having to go to bed with that!?'

'In bed or out, he'd be a nightmare to live with.' Remus stepped around the corner, his face red. His whole body was tense with restrained anger. The students, two Ravenclaw boys, jumped when they saw him. They greeted him as if they hadn't just been talking about him, but they couldn't miss how upset Remus was. He didn't say anything, but the disappointment and anger were written on his face. He shook his head at them and walked past them. Once he was far enough away from the students, he leaned against a window and stared outside at the lake and mountains. He could feel the tightness in his face and jaw and his anger still radiating through his body. 

'Remus?' he heard a voice say. He turned to see Minerva, looking concerned. He hadn't even heard her coming, he had been so focused on his frustration. 'Is everything all right?' He sighed heavily. 

'I'm... fine. It's just that I just ran into some students saying very cruel things about Severus,' he said. Minerva tightened her lips into a thin line. 

'Unfortunately, that's nothing new,' she said. Remus shrugged and moved his eyes back to the window. 

'They thought they were saying it on my behalf, though. Like, “Poor Lupin ended up married to Snape.” They have no idea what he's sacrificing for me.' 

'And they can't know,' she reminded him. 'I'm glad you care. I care about him, too, but he can handle what the students say. And they'll get over it in time. They talked the same way about me when I first got married.' 

'You're married?' Remus asked in surprise. 

'I was,' she corrected. 'And students acted immaturely about it then, too. They're children, Remus. Remember that.' He sighed and shook his head. 

'He didn't ask for this,' he said, looking at the floor. 

'Neither did you,' Minerva reminded him. After their conversation, Remus spent most of the day in his old quarters, trying to finish up emptying them out and packing his things. It wasn't until dinner that he saw Severus again. Severus looked at him with what Remus thought was curiosity, but he didn't ask him anything. They didn't talk at dinner or on the way back to their shared quarters. Once inside, Severus sat in the living room and opened a book. He glanced at Remus self-consciously over the top of the pages. Remus, meanwhile, stood awkwardly near the sofa. Severus rolled his eyes. 

'You're going to get used to living here eventually, aren't you?' he asked, annoyed. Remus shrugged. 

'I just don't want to do something you don't like and bother you.'

'You lurking in the middle of the room is bothering me,' Severus said. 'Sit down an read a book or something. I'll make some tea.' He shut his own book and stood to walk to the dungeon quarters' small kitchen. Remus followed. 

'Tea? It's after dinner,' he said. 

'I like to stay up late,' Severus said, putting on a kettle. Remus watched him get the tea things so he could remember where they were. Severus, feeling his husband's eyes on him, swung around with a sneer on his face. 

'Will you stop following me around and staring at me!? You're not David bloody Attenborough, and I'm not a rare marsupial!' Remus couldn't help but sniff in restrained laughter. He felt chastised, and he didn't know who David Attenborough was, but seeing his dark, lanky husband assert that he was not, in fact, a marsupial was enough to provoke laughter. Remus could feel some of the uncomfortable tension leave the atmosphere. He moved to stand beside Severus. 

'Well, can I help you?' he asked, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. 'I want to know where everything is so I can make tea some time. If you don't mind me doing that, I mean.' 

'Fine.' 

Going to bed was uncomfortable. Remus waited for Severus to be done showering and changing before entering the bathroom to do the same himself. In bed, they lay stiffly at opposite ends until falling asleep. Remus found himself feeling disappointed when he woke up and they were still practically falling off the edges of the bed. He didn't know what he'd hoped would happen, but it seemed the surprising tenderness that had followed their obligatory sex had been a one-time thing. He sighed heavily as started to get ready for the day.


	5. Chapter 5

 

Severus had an odd week. It was as difficult for him to get used to being called Professor Lupin as it must have been for the students to get used to calling him that. The first few times he'd heard it in his classroom, he looked over to the door, wondering if Remus had come in. Thinking of him as _Remus_ felt strange, too, but he forced himself to say it naturally in front of students whenever he talked to or about his husband in public. He could adjust to playing a role publicly with some ease with his experience as a spy. Pretending he had a relationship with Remus that had preceded their bonding was easier than maintaining the appearance of loyalty to a paranoid dark lord. Reminding himself to casually touch his bondmate when they were together outside of their quarters became second nature. He'd gently touch Remus' upper arm in greeting if they ran into each other throughout the day. During meals, he'd squeeze his hand where everyone could see. If his hair or clothes were out of place, Severus would fix them like he imagined a doting husband would.

Remus' cheeks always darkened at these moments. Severus assumed he was embarrassed,

but he'd always have a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. After only a few of Severus' little gestures, Remus' demonstrative nature became part of their ruse. He started touching Severus all the time. He'd put his big hand on Severus' back whenever the walked together through the corridors. Severus just had to ignore the rush of excitement his body felt in response to that. He had to ignore a lot of inconvenient urges and feelings their charade stirred up.

They'd certainly convinced anyone not in the know that they were in love. This had the unfortunate effect of making students think that perhaps Severus was nicer than they'd previously imagined. Once he was marking scrolls in the classroom while waiting for class to begin. Some students, 5th year Hufflepuffs, came early and quietly approached him until they were silently standing around him. He snapped his head up, black hair falling limply around his face. His brow furrowed in annoyance.

'What?' he hissed. The students had the audacity to giggle. His mouth twisted into a sneer.

'Sorry, Professor Lupin,' one of them said. 'We were just looking at your bond ring. It's so pretty!' Severus glanced down at his left hand and back to the students. They smiled in spite of his sour expression.

'Well, you've seen it now, haven't you,' he barked in a warning tone. They retreated, but he hadn't dampened their spirits. It was so much worse than when students just made fun of him. This sort of thing seemed to be happening with some regularity, and Severus had to have some tolerance for it lest he blow their cover. It was all part of the act. The act dropped as soon as they were in the privacy of their quarters, though. They stayed a respectable distance from each other, reading or marking schoolwork at opposite ends of the living room, and at night there was still a sizeable gap between them in bed. One thing had changed, though. Every night, Remus would make him a cup of tea after dinner. He quickly learnt just how Severus liked his tea and made it perfectly. As if that wasn't enough, there'd always be a biscuit on the saucer. The whole thing annoyed Severus. He wasn't a child; he could make his own tea. Still, he drank the tea and ate the biscuit every night, and he didn't say anything about it.

Though they fell into a routine, things were hardly comfortable between them in private. Severus felt a tension in the distance between them. He kept feeling drawn to look at Remus, to touch him. It was just because he'd gotten used to it in public, he told himself. That didn't explain why his eyes kept finding aspects of Remus' body or demeanour that made his belly tingle, of course. Like one night, when Remus had stretched himself out on the sofa to read. The sleeves of his white shirt were folded to his elbows, and his forearms, covered in light hair and a few jagged scars, caught Severus' eye. He remembered Remus' grip on his hips as he'd pounded into him the week before. His arms were stronger than they looked. Severus let out a shuddering sigh and excused himself from the room to relieve his sudden inconvenient arousal. He was usually too busy to consider masturbating very frequently, and his libido was easy enough to ignore without an attractive werewolf lying around his quarters with his top few buttons unbuttoned to show just a bit of chest hair. He might not have been so bothered by it had he not experienced just how intense sex between them could be.

He would have resented Remus for having such an affect on him, but he suspected he was having a similar affect on the other man. The full moon was only about a week away, and Severus knew that werewolves' sex drive could increase greatly as the moon approached. At night, Remus would no longer lie still at the other side of the bed as he did in the days following their bonding ceremony. More and more, he'd toss and turn, growl and moan, and finally get up and lock himself in the bathroom for half an hour at a time. Sometimes, Severus would feel him looming over his prone body. He didn't move or open his eyes, but the way Remus hung over him like that had a possessive, predatory feeling. He could hear the other man's ragged breath as he stared, a moment longer each night, before his weight left the bed and the bathroom door closed. Each night, Severus wondered why he continued to lie there and pretend to be asleep while Lupin hung over him like that. He could get up and shout at him, sending him out of the room. He imagined that's what Remus expected him to do. What he wanted to do, however, was take advantage of the situation and lose himself in Remus' pre-transformation fervor. Even if it was only due to his wolfish instincts, Remus desired him. He probably wouldn't in another few days.

Two nights before the full moon, Severus felt Remus' breath on his face. This time, instead of pretending to sleep, he opened his eyes and rolled onto his back, looking up at his husband. His amber eyes were glassy with lust, and his jaw was tight in a canine snarl. He jerked back when he saw that Severus had seen him.

'S-sorry,' he said, trying to make his husky voice sound like his usual easy-going tenor. 'I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me.'

'Yes, you do,' Severus said with a knowing smirk. 'The full moon is getting close. You want sex.' Shame filled Remus' eyes. He knit his brow and covered his face with his hands, swallowing hard. Severus sat up and pushed his hands away.

'I'm not so cruel as to force you to sleep next to me in this state,' he assured, looking into Remus' eyes. Remus just nodded after a minute and started to move off of the bed. Severus grabbed him by both of his wrists and pulled him back onto the mattress, and the two of them fell back, Severus on his back and Remus on top of him. Remus' eyes widened, and he started to scramble, but Severus was quick to wrap his wiry arms around the other man's broad chest. Severus could feel a thick arousal pressing into his hip, and he gasped, having forgotten just how big it was. His body ached to feel it fill him again.

'What are you doing?' Remus groaned, his voice filled with frustration. Severus quickly became hard and pushed his hips upward to grind on Remus' thigh.

'I meant that I would be willing to relieve your frustration,' he said, fighting to keep his voice level. He needed Remus not to know how much he wanted it; he needed him to think he was doing him a favour. He couldn't admit to him that he'd been lusting after Remus as well. After all, Remus had an excuse.

'I couldn't ask you to do that,' Remus said, his face looking adequately guilty, but he didn't stop grinding into Severus' hip.

'You didn't ask, did you,' Severus said, pulling at Remus' shirt. It came off, and he stroked his fingers over the coarse hair on Remus' chest, growling low in his throat in approval. He hadn't been quite so bold in touching him during their first time. Now he could feel the muscles of Remus' chest had a bit of tone to them.

Remus' resolve snapped. Severus was beneath him, egging him on, enthusiastically offering himself up to the wolf's instinctual urges. Remus wondered what reason Severus could possibly have for being so accommodating, but with his thoughts dulled by lustful haze, he didn't think too much about it. He grabbed Severus by the shoulders and pushed him down into the mattress so that he could grab his thermal shirt and pull it off of him. It was all he could do not to rip the man's clothes off. Seconds later, they were both naked, and Remus sunk his fingers into Severus' hips, moving down on the bed to lower his nose into his husband's crotch. He inhaled deeply. So close to the full moon, he was able to smell the other man's desire. So he _wasn't_ just being uncharacteristically generous, Remus thought.

The urge to taste his prize overwhelmed him. A startled voice cried out as he slid his tongue up the bottom of the shaft in front of him before effortlessly taking the whole thing in his mouth. The thin body beneath him tensed and began to thrust erratically, but Remus held his hips tightly, controlling his movements and bobbing his head slowly and steadily. He took his time to learn the taste of Severus' flesh. Hearing his husband curse and moan in frustration, Remus smirked around the cock in his mouth and pressed his fingers against Severus' entrance. A shudder went through the other man's body, and he let out a sharp, yearning cry. Remus teased his hole but didn't try to push his fingers in.

'Damn it, Lupin, get on with it!' Severus moaned, balling his fists in the sheets. Remus opened his mouth and let Severus' cock pop out and spring back against his concave stomach. He glared at Severus in the darkness. There was very little light, but it was enough for Remus' knowing smile to be visible.

'Back to being “Lupin”, am I?' he asked. He sat up and pulled his hand away from him. Severus was visibly shaking with every ragged breath he took. His black brows were knit in frustration, and his normally sallow face was tinted red. It took every bit of self-restraint for Remus to keep himself from fucking Severus right then. 'This must be a real chore for you, Severus. You're not under any obligation to do this, you know. We've already fulfilled the requirements of our bonding.' Severus snarled, bearing his teeth.

'Do you want it or not, _Remus_?' he said, practically spitting his name. His eyes were filled with anger, but every other part of his body betrayed his unwavering arousal, right down to his insistently spread thighs. Remus wanted to tease his husband, wanted to make him admit that he wanted him. He wanted to make him have to ask him for it, but he knew Severus would only become insecure and defensive and end the whole thing right then. Whether it was his determination to take Severus up on the surprise offer of sex or out of concern for preserving his pride, Remus summoned the lube from the bedside table. He spread it on his fingers and pushed two of them inside of Severus.

' _Yes_ , I want it.'

The anger left Severus' eyes immediately, and his eyelids became heavy as he let his head roll back in pleasure. Remus drank in the sight of his husband relishing in being penetrated. He'd never been with a man who enjoyed it quite that much. Severus _wanted_ his cock inside of him—he wasn't just taking his turn at being bottom. Remus was hastier in his preparations than he had been their first time together. Watching Severus' face this time as he rode the two scissoring fingers eagerly was proving too much for Remus' self control. He pulled his fingers out and quickly covered his cock in lube. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Severus looking at it with open excitement. Crawling onto him, he pressed the head against his hole and started to push. To his surprise, it went in much easier than it had before, and he moved his eyes back and forth between watching his thick shaft disappear into Severus' body and watching his eyes roll back into his head. Severus arched his back, pushing his hips down against Remus, impaling himself on him.

Once fully inside, Remus lay down on top of Severus and wrapped his arms around him, rolling his hips in shallow, testing thrusts. Thin thighs wound themselves around Remus' shoulders. Long fingers tangled themselves in his sandy hair. Remus gasped as Severus pulled him down for an open-mouthed kiss. The feeling of their tongues touching set him off, and he started pounding into Severus relentlessly, who whimpered encouragingly into his mouth.

Neither of them lasted long. It was only minutes before Remus felt hot liquid splashing onto his abdomen, and the tightening spasms of Severus' body sent him over the edge as well. With one final thrust, he shot his seed into him, his mouth open in a silent cry.

Moments later, they lay tangled in a shuddering mass, both still out of breath. Remus was still inside of his husband, and neither of them made any move to separate. Remus breathed in the thick smell of semen and let out a satisfied sigh. He looked at Severus, whose black hair was fanned out around his face on the pillow. His pale cheeks were still flushed, and Remus couldn't help but smile at him. He reached up to stroke the blushing cheek and Severus sneered and turned his face away, burying it in the pillow, but Remus could see Severus fighting to not smile back at him. The expression seemed to pain him, as if he wasn't sure how to smile genuinely. Finally, Remus started to go soft and fell free from Severus' tight grasp. He did a cleaning spell on them both and pulled the duvet back up around them, keeping one arm snugly around Severus the whole time. He held him tightly against his chest. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt Severus move his face out of the pillow and against the hollow of his neck.


End file.
